CCA Academy 1978

What CCA Academy 1978 does

CCA Academy (Community Christian Alternative Academy) is a small, private, non-denominational charter high school founded in 1978 and headquartered at 1231 South Pulaski Road in Chicago's North Lawndale community. It serves non-traditional students ages 16–21 who have completed eighth grade and are seeking an alternative route to a high school diploma. Licensed by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and designated a CPS Level 1 High School, CCA is a Youth Connection Charter School (YCCS) campus and member of the Alternative Schools Network (ASN).

Its academic model is built on a Competency-Based Education '3 + 1 Framework' — defined credit-bearing courses including virtual learning; an active/application-based learning environment; progress-monitored interventions for struggling students; and post-secondary activities such as dual enrollment. The curriculum is paired with structured college and career readiness programming (SAT/ACT prep, dual-credit courses, internships, Learn.Plan.Succeed. with six post-secondary pathways including college, military, employment, apprenticeship, job training, and gap year), small classes with Youth Development Mentors, and a flagship Urban Agriculture and Sustainability program operating across six city lots in North Lawndale — including beekeeping, a food forest, gardens, aquaponics, and PermaPark installations developed with the Chicago Architecture Biennial.

CCA's business model combines per-pupil Illinois charter funding with philanthropic donations channeled through the Annual Benefit Celebration and a PayPal donation portal. Outreach is community-led — relying on local media coverage (WGN, ABC 7, Fox News, the Chicago Defender), Facebook engagement, and word-of-mouth referrals to drive enrollment, with students applying directly via a pre-application form on the school website. The Distribution also extends indirectly through YCCS Charter Network Courses for shared curriculum and dual enrollment.

Name

CCA Academy 1978

Legal name

Community Christian Alternative Academy

Website

https://ccaacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CCA Academy is a small, private, non-denominational charter high school in Chicago's North Lawndale community, serving non-traditional students ages 16–21 with a Competency-Based Education program, an Urban Agriculture curriculum, and post-secondary readiness services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charter School Funding: As a Youth Connection Charter School Campus (YCCS) and member of Alternative Schools Network (ASN), CCA receives public charter school funding based on enrollment.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Annual benefit celebrations, raffle events, and PayPal donation platform to support the school's urban agriculture program and general operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CCA Academy is a small, private, non-denominational high school in Chicago that provides non-traditional students ages 16-21, who have completed eighth grade, with a second chance to earn a high school diploma. The program combines a competency-based curriculum (the "3 + 1 Framework"), an Urban Agriculture and Sustainability initiative (food forest, beekeeping, gardens, aquaponics), College and Career Readiness services (counseling, SAT/ACT prep, dual credit courses, internships), and post-secondary planning to prepare students for higher education, vocational training, or gainful employment.

Product overview

CCA Academy is a small, private, non-denominational high school (established 1978) offering a single integrated educational program for non-traditional students ages 16-21. The core offering is a high school diploma program utilizing a Competency-Based Education framework with four components: defined courses with virtual learning, application-based active learning, interventions, and post-secondary activities. The program is supplemented by Urban Agriculture and Sustainability initiatives (including bee keeping, food forest, gardens, and aquaponics), College and Career Readiness services with dual credit college courses, Charter Network Courses, online learning tutorials, internships, and career training. All components work together to prepare students for higher education, vocational training, or gainful employment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CCA Academy High School Diploma Program A private, non-denominational high school program serving non-traditional students ages 16-21 who have completed eighth grade, providing a second chance to earn an ISBE-licensed high school diploma through a rigorous educational program, extracurricular activities, and supportive services (requires 18 credits to graduate).
• Urban Agriculture and Sustainability Program Hands-on urban agriculture curriculum covering bee keeping, food forest, gardens, aquaponics, and permaculture, implemented across 6 city lots in the North Lawndale community as experiential learning for students.
• Competency-Based Education (3+1 Framework) Youth Connection Charter School's educational framework focused on learning outcomes, comprising four components: defined high school courses with virtual learning, applications for active learning environment promoting problem-based learning, interventions for struggling students with progress monitoring, and post-secondary activities including dual enrollment.
• College and Career Readiness Program Structured college counseling, guidance services, SAT/ACT preparation, post-secondary planning across six pathways (college/university, military, employment, apprenticeship, job training, gap year), college visitation trips, Learn.Plan.Succeed. initiative, real-world work experiences, and internships. Graduation requirement includes securing acceptance into at least two postsecondary institutions.
• Charter Network Courses Network courses offered through the Youth Connection Charter School system, providing additional academic opportunities, course variety, and virtual learning options for students.
• Online Learning and Tutorials Digital learning resources and online tutorials complementing in-person instruction, supporting self-paced and individualized educational approaches as part of the educational philosophy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students required to secure acceptance into at least two postsecondary institutions as graduation requirement

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Chicago Architecture BiennialcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership with Chicago Architecture Biennial to create natural installations at PermaPark, including the 'Stacked' natural wall created with Practice Landscape. The collaboration demonstrates innovative urban design and landscape architecture education for students.
• Practice LandscapecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Architecture firm led by Antonio Torres and Michael Loverich that collaborated with CCA Academy and Chicago Architecture Biennial on the 'Stacked' natural wall installation at PermaPark.
• Youth Connection Charter School (YCCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCA Academy is a Youth Connection Charter School Campus (YCCS), operating under the YCCS educational framework including the competency-based '3 + 1 Framework' and blended learning curriculum. YCCS provides the educational framework and network resources.
• Alternative Schools Network (ASN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Alternative Schools Network (ASN), a network of alternative schools providing resources, coordination, and shared best practices for non-traditional education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Heritage Academies: Large for-profit charter school operator serving K-12 across multiple states; comparable in charter funding model and curriculum standardization but at much greater scale and broader grade span.
• Chicago Public Schools Options Schools Network: The broader Chicago Public Schools alternative-schools ecosystem within which CCA holds Level 1 status; comparable target population and oversight framework, but CCA operates as an independent charter campus rather than a direct CPS-run school.

Direct peers

• Diploma Plus: National dropout-recovery and high school completion model focused on competency-based progression and post-secondary planning; closely comparable to CCA's 3+1 Framework philosophy.
• Big Picture Learning: Network of alternative high schools built around internships, personalized learning plans, and real-world work experiences—closely aligned with CCA's internship and post-secondary planning model.
• Camelot Education: National operator of alternative and dropout-recovery education programs serving at-risk youth; directly comparable in mission, target student, and operational model to CCA Academy.
• KIPP Chicago: Chicago charter school operator running college-preparatory public charter campuses serving similar urban, non-traditional populations; comparable in charter funding model and dual-credit emphasis.
• Ombudsman Educational Services: Operator of alternative education programs targeting credit recovery and at-risk high school students; directly comparable in dropout-recovery and non-traditional learner focus.
• Youth Connection Charter School (YCCS): The charter network of which CCA Academy is a campus; YCCS provides the '3+1 Framework,' network courses, and the SIS that CCA operates against, making it the closest structural peer and dependency.
• Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Chicago: Catholic-rooted alternative college-prep high school serving low-income Chicago students via work-study-integrated curriculum; comparable in mission, urban footprint, and dual-credit/work-integration approach.

Emerging players

• Communities In Schools of Chicago: Chicago affiliate of a national wraparound-services nonprofit embedded in schools to improve attendance, graduation, and post-secondary outcomes; comparable in wraparound mentor/support model but does not operate schools.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CCA1978
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cca-academy-1978

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CCA Academy 1978